Author's note: Thank you to everyone who has read or responded to my story. Tonight the inevitable occurred. I wrote "Finite" on this story. That's half of my goal completed. I originally started writing this to see if I could finish it. I never intended to post it. I'm glad I did. I've met some really neat people (**Waves at Izzie**) and I now have a happy/sad feeling of accomplishment. Thank you for the reviews, they've made my day on more than one occasion. We are now almost to the half-way point, for those who have asked. In case anyone is wondering, the "dreaded Chapter 8" was the plot bunny for this whole thing. Thanks for the ride and I'll see you at the finish line.
JayR
Moving Day
Chapter 18
Moving Day
The cab pulled up to a long driveway. Harry could see an enormous house in the distance, surrounded by trees. His breath caught when he realized that this was his new home. As the cab moved up the drive, Harry swiveled his head to see everything.
"What do you think?" Lupin asked.
"I think it is brilliant!" exclaimed Harry. He saw Hermione standing in the doorway. The cab pulled to a stop. Harry opened the door and smiled at her.
"Welcome home, Harry" she said as she stuck her head inside the car to hug him. Lupin came around with the wheelchair and discreetly levitated Harry into it. They waited until the cab pulled away before pushing him into the house.
"We made a few alterations. I hope you don't mind." said Lupin. He rolled Harry to a cupboard under the stairs. "I noticed that this seems to be your 'safe zone'. I hope you like the changes I've made." Lupin opened the door to the cupboard so Harry could peer inside. The interior was much larger than it appeared. Music was playing softly in the background from the WWN. A comfy chair stood in front of a small fireplace. A well stocked bar ran the length of the back. "There's no rule that says a hidey-hole needs to be uncomfortable" Lupin explained as Hermione beamed. "However, if a true broom cupboard is the only thing that helps, I added one behind the bar. You can also reach it from the kitchen under the back stairway.
Harry's eyes prickled as he realized what all had gone in to setting up the house for him. "Thank you, Remus…Hermione. You don't know how much this means to me."
"Yes, we do, Harry" Hermione countered. "Yes, we do" She engulfed him in another hug.
"Come see your balcony" Lupin said with more excitement Harry had ever heard from him before.
Lupin levitated Harry up the stairs and into the master bedroom. The room looked like Harry's bedroom in his old flat, a cross between his former dormitory room and the common room at school. This room however was much larger. Off to the right was a double door leading out to a balcony overlooking a field. There was a small table and chair hidden behind the branches of a sizeable tree. A pair of chaises sat in the sun on the other corner with a table between.
"That table is charmed so that if, for some reason, your security is compromised, you can still enjoy your tea unfazed. Just cast a silencing charm and no one will know you are there, unless you want them to."
"This is amazing!" Harry gushed as all of his previous challenges were systematically solved.
"There is an identical balcony on the other side, so you can enjoy sunsets as well." Hermione added.
Harry was floated like a balloon as they toured the rest of the estate. Harry was astounded at the care that was taken into making this his home. There was nothing that he would have changed.
Upon conclusion of the tour, the small group wound up in the kitchen where Winky had left sandwiches, crisps and butterbeer waiting.
"Where is Winky?" Hermione asked. With small pop, the house elf appeared.
"Is everything alright, Miss? Winky is knowing Harry Potter, sir, is needing to eat, Miss. Winky is knowing Harry Potter is needing strength to get better."
"Thank you, Winky" Harry said. "It looks wonderful."
Winky blushed at the praise and left with a crack.
After lunch, Hermione floated Harry into the drawing room. The sofa was positioned so that Harry could be a part of whatever action was taking place.
"Lie down, Harry" she ordered him. "You need your rest before we try out your magic. Don't be alarmed if minor spells are more difficult for you. As you get your strength back, your power will return, although that apparition that first day might have hindered you a bit. "
Harry did as he was told and relaxed for a short kip. He knew they were going to begin the replacement of his leg bones this evening and he would be getting very little sleep. He also knew that he'd need strength to face facts if this failed.
When Harry awoke, he was startled to find himself in the vaguely familiar room. It looked like his belongings, but not his flat. Hedwig cooed at him, which reminded him that he was in the new house. He smiled to himself.
"Good, you are awake, then. Time to get to work…" chirped Hermione. "I believe Kingsley has your wand. He'll be by tomorrow and you can ask him about it. For now, you have a choice of wandless, or use my wand. I envy you the ability to do wandless magic. There are very few people who can…"
"I'll take wandless" Harry answered, relishing the thought of making his friend jealous.
"Alright, let's start simple and see how it goes. Are you ready? No, don't sit up. Just lie there and see if you can levitate…let's see…this book."
Harry waved his hand toward the book, which rose about a meter off the table.
"Very good!" praised Hermione. "Now try to summon it."
Harry flipped his hand over and the book came toward him. He placed his hand palm out and the book stopped in front of him. He moved his hand forward and the book lowered itself to the table in front of him.
"Excellent!" Hermione gushed. "Let's try some transfiguration. This will be a little more difficult…" Hermione wrote in his medical chart she was keeping. "Transfigure the book into a kitten."
Harry made a complicated hand movement and the book began to meow. He grinned at Hermione and looked back at the kitten on the table.
"You are doing really good, Harry. I think your magic is quite recovered. For the last piece, apparate up to the West balcony. I'll have Dobby bring dinner up there. Lupin can meet us. Would you like that?" Harry's grin became wider as he nodded. "Be very careful, though, Harry. Apparate onto the chaise only. I want to see you lying down when I get there. If you miss, which you won't, stay where you are. We'll sort it out together. I don't want you to put ANY weight on your legs." She finished sternly.
"Yes, Healer Granger…" Harry said with the mock seriousness of a child answering a teacher. With barely a sound he was gone.
Remus and Hermione opened the double doors and were relieved to see Harry reclining on the chaise.
"I hear congratulations are in order" Lupin said to Harry. "I know you've had a rough time of it, Harry, but this is excellent. I know you are eager to take back some of your independence. Don't be in too great of a hurry, though. We want to do this right."
Harry agreed and sat up gingerly on the chaise, arranging his useless legs in front of him. Dinner arrived on the table and smelled wonderful. Harry stomach growled loudly in anticipation. Hermione and Remus shared a smirk. It had been a long while since Harry had actually been hungry. The only thing they hadn't had to coax him to eat was pudding.
As the sun was setting and after the plates had been cleared and banished to the kitchen, Lupin asked, "Are you up for some company? Ron and Luna are anxious to see your house. I talked to him by floo earlier. I told him I'd let him know how you were feeling. I'm sure he'd love to see for himself.
"Of course. He can come by anytime" Harry answered.
"I'll let him know, then"
"Harry…" Hermione began hesitantly. Harry tensed in nervousness at her tone. "I was wondering…the Skele-Gro procedure is uncomfortable" Harry scowled at her understatement. "You've always drank to dull pain in the past. I've researched it and alcohol has no effect on the procedure…I was wondering…"
"You want me to get pissed before you remove my leg bones…" Harry summarized.
"Well only if you want to" she returned. "I just thought since Ron and Luna will be here. I'm sure Remus wouldn't argue if you invited him for a drink. What do you think?"
"I think it is a brilliant idea. Even if it hurts like hell, I'll be beyond caring…Can we do it out here? I've been cooped up for too long."
"It would be alright to drink out here. I'll levitate you into your bed before I give you the potion."
"Thanks, Hermione" he said earnestly. "You are the best."
Lupin showed the others out onto the generously proportioned balcony. He conjured more chairs.
"How are you, Harry?" Luna asked.
"I'm fine, really I am" Harry answered.
"You're looking better" offered Ron.
"Sorry about the other day" Harry said. "I wasn't in a good place"
"Don't blame you, mate" Ron replied.
"I hear a party is the order of the day" stated Lupin.
"Yeah, Hermione has this idea that if I'm piss drunk, the Skele-gro won't hurt as bad. I'm up for tossing back a few…in the name of medical research only, of course."
"I know it will be successful, Harry. The streelers were heading north.," Luna replied.
"Thanks, Luna" he answered not bothering to ask what the hell she was talking about.
Hermione came back onto the balcony with glasses and a large bottle of Ogden's Finest. She poured them all drinks and had a butterbeer for herself.
"I'd like to propose a toast…" Ron said, "…to Harry's swift recovery. Long may he stand…er…walk…er…well, just get better, Harry."
They group laughed as they clinked their glasses together.
"Thanks, Ron" said Harry.
"That was beautiful, Ronald" said Luna. Ron looked into her eyes and forgot the others existed for a few minutes.
With much laughter and teasing, the friends talked for hours. Ron kept Harry's glass full. Before long Harry was feeling pleasantly numb. He had begun to slur a bit and once almost fell off his chaise.
Hermione surreptitiously asked Ron and Luna to stay over in case Harry needed them the next morning. The couple agreed and without the need to get home safely, got a bit squiffy themselves. She asked Remus, who had only sipped his drinks to assist her in getting Harry over to his room.
"Are you ready, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"You goin' t' show me your muffins again?" Harry grinned stupidly.
Hermione flushed and stated, "If you take your potion like a good boy"
Ron and Luna looked at each other in shock. "What exactly has been going on around here?" asked Ron with a smirk.
"I wouldn't listen to her, so she flashed her chest at me" said Harry with a giggle. "It was great!" he added. "I've never seen a man move as fast as Lupin did. He nearly took a door off trying to get out o' there." Harry was laughing uproariously.
"Don't blame you for that, Remus." Ron stated. "When these two finally get together, and they will, mark my words, it's going to be a sight to see." Hermione's face flamed again.
"Are you going to tuck me in, Hermione?" Harry teased.
"Come on, Loverboy, let's get this over with" said Lupin, drawing his wand and levitating Harry inside.
"Need any help?" asked Ron.
"If you'd like" said Hermione. "Remus will get him into bed, and then we can take turns sitting with him until he falls asleep. He hasn't complained once since he fell. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he has an inhuman pain tolerance, but you can always tell by his eyes."
"I think it has something to do with the muggles." Ron suggested. "Harry told me once that his punishment was worse if he cried."
Hermione snorted in contempt. "I won't give up on him, Ron, even if he never walks again. I've got to find a way to make his legs stronger. He was devastated after he fell. He wants to walk so very badly. His bones just can't handle his weight. If this doesn't work, I don't know what else to try."
"What about a magical version of muggle leg braces…" offered Luna. "…that would add stability, so his skeleton wouldn't need to take all of his weight. We could enchant them to be flexible, disillusion them so they aren't noticeable. It wouldn't be a permanent solution, but it would give him a sense of freedom."
Hermione grabbed Luna in a tight squeeze. "That is brilliant! Ron, your dad would help us, wouldn't he?"
"Try stopping him"
"I heard you guys talking out there" Harry mumbled as Hermione intoned the jinx to remove Harry's femur.
"Really?" she asked handing him the potion. "What did you think?"
"I think I have the best friends in the entire world." Harry made a face as he swallowed the foul dosage.
Hermione sat on the bed beside him and waited for the potion to take affect. Soon Harry legs began to feel as if they had large splinters embedded in them. Harry waved his hand and cast a silencing charm on his room, just in case.
"Did you want me to get Ron?" she asked. "He could try to distract you…"
To Hermione's relief, Harry nodded his agreement. She couldn't bear to see him suffer.
Ron entered with the bottle of firewhiskey. "Need another shot, mate?" he asked.
Harry nodded, not letting go his tight grasp on the bed frame. Ron brought the glass to Harry's lips and he drank.
"Thanks, mate." he said, attempting to hide his distress.
"What else are friends for?" Ron asked. "Hey, you invite me to your new house to help you get pissed. Am I going to say no to that?"
Harry tried to laugh. "I've got about four nights of this I estimate" he said.
"I can be here" Ron said. "We don't have practice until afternoon. I just need to remember the sobrietus charm, so coach doesn't find out. Of course, if I told him it was for you, he'd let it slide. He'd probably request a photograph of you in Cannons gear, though."
They talked a bit longer before Harry fell asleep. Ron sat with him and finished off the bottle. Lupin entered to take over.
"Is he alright?" Lupin asked.
"He had a bad spell for awhile. I just kept talking to him and offering him shots. I'm not sure if he's asleep or rat-arsed."
"I'm not sure it matters, as long as he's resting." Lupin replied.